Fern Louise (Severs) Dorothy 1926-2016-

DOROTHY, SEVERS, LOEWENBERG, WODRICH, BROWN, DRAPEAU, MITCHINSON, JOHNSON, LANCIONI

Posted By: cheryl moonen (email)
Date: 4/7/2018 at 21:11:10

Telegraph Herald (Dubuque, IA) - Sunday, January 17, 2016

Fern Louise Dorothy, 89, of Dubuque, died peacefully Wednesday morning, January 13, 2016, at Stonehill Care Center, with family at her side.

Friends may call from noon to 2:00 p.m. Monday, January 18, at Reiff Funeral Home in Epworth, Iowa. Visitation will be followed by a brief service at 2:00 p.m. at the funeral home, with Rev. Dianne Grace presiding. Burial will follow in Dubuque Memorial Gardens in Key West.

Fern was born on August 10, 1926, in Coatsville, Missouri, daughter of Ruby and Perry Severs. She was a woman of many talents, excelling in artistic endeavors throughout her entire life. As a young woman, she was a hairdresser, a floral designer, and even played piano in a Dixieland jazz band while studying at the Missouri Art Institute in Kansas City. She married Robert in 1944 in Washington D.C., where he was stationed in the Navy. She was influenced by the art of Albert Handell during this time. After Bob's time in the Navy was up, they ran a newspaper in Otsego, Michigan, and then moved to Kent, Ohio, and then Gary, Indiana, eventually landing in Dubuque, Iowa, when Bob took a position with the Dubuque Industrial Bureau. Their four children kept Fern busy, but she found time to sew clothes for her girls; knit intricately patterned sweaters, hats and mittens; make doll clothes and Halloween costumes; run a household; paint; be a Girl Scout volunteer; rescue stray animals; entertain and play bridge; make quilts; and cook amazing meals every single night. Through it all, she kept on playing the piano, filling her home with happy music.

After her children were grown and began families of their own, Fern began to get serious about her art, and her talent was further honed. She studied at both Clarke and Loras Colleges and was greatly influenced by local artist Frank Licciardi. Later, she painted at Mount Carmel's Robert Kuhn Center, with Sister Faith Lautz. Fern worked in pastels, watercolors and acrylics, but her preference was oils. She participated and won awards in several local art shows in Omaha, NE, where they lived for a few years after Bob retired. She loved to paint live models and resisted taking any commissioned requests. "I refuse to paint something to match someone's living room," she once said. In 2006, at the age of 80, and after having survived three strokes, she had her first art show at Divine Word College's Weyland Art Gallery in Epworth, Iowa.

The music continued as well. When Bob and Fern moved to a retirement facility in Dubuque, she played piano there, entertaining residents and guests.

Surviving are her three children: Phil, of Iowa City, Kathy (Roger) Loewenberg, of Peosta, and Becky (Scott) Wodrich, of Key West; her son-in-law Jerry "Holmes" Brown, of rural Peosta; seven grandchildren: Mike (Kelly) Drapeau, of LeClaire, IA, Lisa Dorothy, of Joliet, IL, Sara (Bill) Mitchinson, of Elburn, IL, Lisa (Hans) Johnson, of North Liberty, IA, Chris (Val) Loewenberg, of Dubuque, IA, Megan (Jeff) Lancioni, of Franklin, WI, and Ryan (Emily) Brown, of Peosta, IA; and 14 great-grandchildren.

Fern was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Paul; her daughter, Nancy; her husband, Robert; and her daughter-in-law, Cheryl.

The family wishes to extend a special thank-you to all of the staff and volunteers at Stonehill Care Center and Hospice of Dubuque for the wonderful care given to Fern and the support offered to her family.